Let's face it, very few of us have perfect teeth, free of decay and fillings. You can probably see a filling or two in your own mouth, which do just that -- "fill" a cavity, or hole, in your tooth left from the excavation of decayed tooth structure. In many cases, those fillings are made of metal material and can go bad, weaken the tooth, or get additional decay under or around it. In fact, 1.2 billion of these metal fillings will need to be replaced in the next 10 years.* CEREC is a method used by thousands of dentists worldwide since 1987 not only to replace these fillings, but also to restore any tooth that is decayed, weakened, broken, etc. to its natural strength and beauty. Better yet, it's done with all-ceramic materials that are tooth colored in a single appointment! So, how does the CEREC procedure work?

Exam and Preparation

First, Dr. Rick Smith in Santa Cruz examines the tooth and determines the appropriate treatment. It could be a simple filling, or a full crown, depending on how much healthy tooth structure is remaining and the clinical judgement of Dr. Smith. Next, he administers an anesthetic and prepares your tooth for the restoration, removing decayed and weakened tooth tissue. This preparation is just like he or she would do for many other restorative techniques.

Optical Impression

Then, Dr. Smith takes a computerized Optical Impression of the prepared tooth. Instead of filling a tray with impression "goop" that you must bite into and hold in your mouth until it hardens, Dr. Smith coats the tooth with a non-toxic, tasteless powder. A camera is then used to take a digital picture of your tooth. This whole Optical Impression process only takes a minute or two.

No Temporaries

Next, the CEREC machine helps Dr. Smith create the restoration for your tooth. The CEREC 3D software takes the digital picture and converts it into a 3-dimensional virtual model on the computer screen. Dr. Smith then uses his or her dental expertise to design the restoration using the CEREC 3D computer program. Within a few minutes, Dr. Smith clicks a button, and the restoration design data is sent to a separate milling machine in the office. A ceramic block that matches your tooth shade is placed in the milling machine. About 10 - 20 minutes later, your all-ceramic, tooth-colored restoration is finished and ready to bond in place. Finally, Dr. Smith tries the restoration in your mouth to ensure proper fit and bite. The restoration is then polished and bonded to the prepared tooth. Your tooth is restored with no "temporary" or return trip necessary. All of this is done in a single appointment!

CEREC Technology

Dental Technology of the Future...Today!

What is CEREC? CEREC is an acronym...

Chairside:

The technology is in the dental operatory and used while you are in the chair

Economical:

The procedure is economical for both dentist and patient

Restorations:

The procedure restores your tooth to its natural beauty, function, and strength

of Esthetic:

The restorations are metal-free and tooth-colored

Ceramic:

High-strength ceramics are used that are close in composition to your natural tooth structure.

for an advanced dental restorative system that allows your dentist to restore decayed teeth, place crowns, remove defective amalgam fillings, or place cosmetic veneers in just one appointment. This allows you to have the highest quality, most lifelike dental restorations in just one visit to the dentist...in, out, and on with your busy life. The state of the art CEREC system was developed in 1985 at the University of Zurich in Switzerland by a dentist, Dr. Werner H. Moermann, and an electrical engineer, Dr. Markus Brandistini. Today, CEREC 3 with CEREC 3D software is still the world's only chair side dental CAD/CAM restorative system. At the heart of the system is the innovative technology.Dr. Smith is a master cerec user and teaches cerec dentistry to other dentist in the USA and around the world. Dr. Rick Smith's dental practice in Santa Cruz is a hub for area dentist to visit and observe the lastest that dentistry has to offer. Call Today and see if Cerec can work for you.